Apparatus for affixing stamps to letters.



H. ANGERSTBIN.

APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING STAMPS T0 LETTERS.

APPLICATION FILED 212.24, 1910.

1,045,1 13. Patented Nov. 26, 1912 HERMANN ANGEBSTEIN, F BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 AMERICAN STAMP & TICKET VENDING MACHINE (30., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., 'A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING STAMPS TO LETTERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, HERMANN ANGER- STEIN, a subject of the King of Prussia,'Em-

peror of Germany, and resident of Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvemmts in Apparatus for Affixing Stamps to Letters, of which the fol-- lowing is a specification.

My invention consists of improvements in the machine of co-pending application,

Serial No. 492,417, Isselhorst and Angerstein, stamp feeding device. The machine of this invention comprisesastamp-feeding' mechanism, operating means for the same, and a battery of stamp reels, there being as many reels in the battery as there are desired different denominations of stamps. The battery of reels is shiftable with respect to the stamp-feeding and operating mechanism in order to bring into operative relation with the stamp-feeding mechanism the reel carrying stamps of any desired denomination. 'Thus, by properly positioning'the battery of stamp reels, stamps of any desired denomination carried by the machine may be fed from the appropriate reel, and delivered at the proper point. In the machine of the application mentioned, stamps so delivered are applied to envelops by a suitable mechanism.

This invention consists particularly in an interlock between the battery of stamp reels,

and an operating means for the. feeding Figure 1 represents the improved apparatus in vertical section; while Fig. 2 is a ground plan view of the same Only so much of the several mechanisms is shown as is needed for a complete disclosure of this invention. For'the remaining mechanisms of the machine, reference may be had to the co-pending application provided to accomplish this lateral shifting.

Also mounted in the casing transversely thereof and in this embodiment parallel to the shaft carrying the stamp reels f is a second shaft carrying a notched disk 0. This shaft constitutes the operating means for the feeding mechanism of the machine, and is rotatable by means of the crank 70, and the gears shown in dotted lines.

The interlock between the operating shaft carrying the notched disk 0 and the stamp reel f comprises an interlocking member I) in the form of a lever pivoted adjacent the shaft carrying the disk 0, and having one end extended over the stamp reels, and the other end extended Without the casing, whereby the lever may be rocked on its pivot by hand. The lever constitutes a pawl, being provided with a projection d on its underslde, as shown, which normally engages the notch in the disk 0. It is pressed to this position by' the flat spring shown on its upper side, or by any other'suitable means. As long as the interlocking member 7) engages the notched disk c, it is not possible to move the operating means through its crank is. The frame 9 of the stamp reels 7 is provided with an upper extension h constituting a yoke, this extension being provided 011 its outer side with a plurality of notches The end 6 of the interlocking member I) is adapted when the member '12 is moved to the dotted-line position shown in-Fig. 1, to engage one or the other of the notches, depending upon the position of the stamp reels f. The notches are so position'ed with respect to the interlocking member b, and the respective reels of the battery, that whenever the battery is so positioned that the end 6 of the member I) may enter a notch 2', one of the stamp reels is in a position for stamps to be fed from it by the feeding mechanism of the machine.

Unless the batteryof stamp reels is in,po-

sition for the end e of member I) to enter in notch e, that lever may not be raised hlgh Patented Nov. 26, 1912. v

enough toclear the notch in the disk 0.

Therefore, the operatingmeans cannot be moved until one of the reels is in the proper position. This interlock, therefore, pre vents movement of the operating means unless the battery of stamp reels is in the proper relative position. Further, as will be apparent upon consideration of its operation, the battery of stamp reels cannot be shifted during movement of the operating means, since, once the interlocking member I) is disengaged from the disk 0, and movement has been commenced, the interlocking member rides on the outer periphery of the disk 0, and the end 6 is maintained in engagement in one of the notches 2', the interlocking member being held in the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 1. Moreover, the interlocking member is not returned to normal position until the notch in the disk 0 has been returned to normal position. In

' the usual operation, this will not take place until the disk 0 has been rotated through one complete revolution, rotation taking place in the" same direction.

"While I have described the best form of my invention now known to me, I desire it understood that my invention may be given many forms without departing from its legal purview, and I desire to cover all such forms in the annexed claims.

What Iclaim is 1. In a stamp-affixing machine, a relatively shiftable battery of stamp reels, an operating shaft adapted to actuate a stampfeeding mechanism, and an interlock between said shaft and said battery of said stamp reels, said interlock being adapted to prevent the shifting of said stamp reels during the rotation of said operating shaft.

2. In a stamp-aflixing machine, a revoluble shaft adapted to operate a stamp-feeding mechanism, a relatively shift-able battery of stamp reels, and interlocking parts respectively connected with each of said battery of stamp reels and said shaft, one of said parts having a defined unlocking position and the other having a multiple number of unlocking positions, each of said parts having a defined range of movement within which the other is locked.

3. In a stamp-affixing machine, a shaft adapted to operate a stamp-feeding mechanism, a relatively shiftable battery of stamp reels, an interlocking member, locking means carried by said battery of stamp reels normally disengaged from said member,

looking 'n'ieans carried by said shaft normally engaged by said member to prevent operative movement, said interlocking member being movable simultaneously to engage and lock said stamp reels and to release the shaft, and means whereby said interlocking member is maintained in the aforesaid reel-locking position for a predetermined movement of said shaft. 4. Ina stamp-afiixing machine, a shaft adapted to operate a stamp-feeding mechanism, a battery of stamp reels movable with respect to the shaft, a disk rotated by the shaft, a locking pawl normally engaging and locking the disk, an extension on said pawl, and a yoke connected with the stamp reels adapted to be engaged and locked by said extension when said pawl is disengaged from the said disk.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

" HERMANN ANGERSTEINQ Witnesses:

WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HAsPER. 

